Page 42 of Wrapped in Winter
When I checked in yesterday, she told me Lily wasn’t feeling great, so she was putting her to bed early and trying to get somerest herself. So, this morning, I decided to surprise them both and hopefully cheer her up.
I stop by the bakery and grab two coffees, a hot chocolate, and some cookies, and make my way to her home. I pull up out front and park and then walk to her front door, knocking and waiting. I hear commotion coming from the house. It’s not yelling, but the TV is loud, and I can hear Lily calling out to January.
“The door! Someone is at the door!” I chuckle to myself, and when January flings open the door, she looks shell shocked. She’s got the phone to her ear, a sweatshirt in hand, her hair is wet from the shower, and she’s in jeans and a T-shirt. Her eyes widen at me standing there, but she continues talking on the phone. She pushes the door open and I step inside and shut it behind me as she wanders back into the kitchen.
I glance around the wall into the living room and see Lily on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and watching TV.
“Drake! What are you doing here?” January is watching me, but she’s still talking on the phone. So I take the drinks and cookies and go inside the living room.
“I heard you weren’t feeling that great, so I wanted to bring you something to make you feel better.”
Lily eyes the cookie bag I’m holding, and I give it to her while placing the hot chocolate on the table in front of her. I sit on the edge of the couch. She rattles around in the bag and pulls out her cookie, taking a bite.
“You didn’t even have breakfast yet,” January covers the phone and chastises her, giving me a dirty look.
Lily puts the cookie back into the bag. “I just needed one bite. Are my eggs ready?” A flash of panic crosses January’s face as she runs back into the kitchen.
“Give me one moment, Lily. Let me go help your mom.”
I walk into the kitchen where she’s scraping burnt eggs from the bottom of the pan. She’s still on the phone and now her voice is getting louder, arguing about a delivery. I secretly hope it’s not one of ours, but I also know I’m not on shift today so I’m not responsible for what's happening. I take the spatula and pan from her hand, mouthing the words,sit down, I’ve got this.I put the pan under running water and scrape the eggs from the bottom. I let it fill with cold water while I go to her fridge and take out another couple of eggs. I crack them into the bowl that is left on the side of the counter and scramble them up. I clean out the pan and put it back on the stove, adding the eggs so they will cook. January finishes her call and tries to move me from the stove.
I speak to her quietly and soothingly. “Sit for a moment; I got you coffee. Is everything okay with the shop?” She watches me for a second before finally listening and sitting down at the table with her coffee.
“No, we were supposed to get a shipment in, and it’s late. We were asked to outfit a wedding, and not everything is on time now. Lily is sick, and I can’t take her to the shop. Lief has a meeting with Jack that I’m supposed to be at, but Meadow is missing in action.”
I cut my eyes to her. “What do you mean missing in action? Is she okay?”
She waves her hand around in dismissal. “She does this. She disappears for a few days at a time. I warned you she’s a bit erratic. Cole needs to know this.”
I turn back to the stove, making a mental note for Cole. “Where is Blossom?”
“She’s taking my mom to a doctor’s appointment this morning. She’ll be in after, but I need someone there now. I'm already running late, and the shop won’t open on time. And if that delivery does show up, nobody’s going to be there.”
I scrape the eggs onto a plate that has been laid out and put the pan back in the sink. “Stay here for just one moment. I'm coming right back.” I grab a fork and the plate and take them to Lily, placing it on the table in front of her. “The eggs are hot, so be careful. I’ll be back in a few minutes, but I have to talk to your mom.” She says okay, eyes still focused on the TV. I walk back into the kitchen to find January not there. I hear her moving around in the hall so I walk down and find her standing in her bedroom. I lean against the door jamb, not entering her space, but my eyes follow her as she rummages around for a sweater and runs a comb through her hair.
“What if I go to the shop and wait for the delivery truck?”
“I can’t ask you–”
“You're not asking. I’m offering.” She studies me. “Or do you want to go to the shop and I can stay here with Lily?” She chews on her bottom lip. “I’d love nothing more than to spend the day with a gorgeous blonde, but since she has a lot on her plate today, I can settle for spending the day with her daughter instead.”
Her eyes flutter and she lets out a little huff of air. “She’s feeling better, and she’s not contagious, but I still don’t want to take her out. She had a low-grade fever yesterday morning, so I need you to watch that. If she gets too hot or too sleepy, you need to call me. Don’t give her too many cookies; she’ll throw them up.” I let January bark out all the rules and all her worries, and I listen.
“I hear you, and I will keep a close eye on her. We’ll just watch TV until your mom gets here.” Her body relaxes, and this time she steps into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
She lets out a small laugh. “She’s clingy when she’s sick.”
She stops and watches me, clearly playing things out in her mind before going back to the drawer and pulling out a differentsweater. She throws it on over her head, then turns back to me again. “Don’t you have to work today?”
I shake my head no. “I have the day off, which is probably why your delivery is late. I know I always make sure your stuff is delivered on time.”
“The place is going to sink today because you have a day off. Is that what you’re telling me?” She puts her hand on her hip, challenging me, and I chuckle at her pose.
I put my hands up in a defensive mode. “They didn't promote me to manager after just three months for nothing.”
She raises a brow and crosses her arms, and I use that moment to step into the room. I cross it in three steps, uncrossing her arms and letting them drop to her sides before taking her hands and pulling her closer to me. “What did I say about boxing me out?” She shakes her head. “I take direction well, as you know, so if anything else needs to be done, just send me a text and I’ll do it. Do I get rewarded for being a good listener?” I tease her. She pokes at my ribs before stepping away from me and pushing me a little bit.
“Don’t start your trouble now. You have work to do.”